Automatic analysis device, analysis method, and analysis system therefor

Abstract

An automatic analysis device, an analysis method, and an analysis system are provided. The automatic analysis device comprises an incubation unit. When analyzing a sample under test, the incubation unit is controlled to rotate according to a predetermined transport cycle, wherein each transport cycle comprises at least one fixed transport sub-period in which the incubation unit is rotated a first rotation distance, and at least one self-adaptive transport sub-period in which the incubation unit is rotated a second rotation distance; when the incubation unit is controlled to rotate in the fixed transport sub-period of each transport cycle, in the stop period of the fixed transport sub-period, at least one regular operation capable of being performed in the fixed transport sub-period is performed; and when the incubation unit is controlled to rotate in the self-adaptive transport sub-period of each transport cycle, the incubation unit is controlled to rotate and stop at an executing station capable of performing a self-adaptive operation, and the self-adaptive operation is performed. The present invention can balance the test flux and analysis performance.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An automatic analysis method of an automatic analysis device, the automatic analysis device comprising an incubation unit having a plurality of container holders for holding a plurality of reaction containers and a plurality of executing stations around the incubation unit, the analysis method comprises:
 controlling the rotation of the incubation unit periodically in accordance with a preset transport cycle, wherein each transport cycle comprises at least one fixed transport sub-period in which the incubation unit is rotated a first rotation distance in a first direction, and at least one self-adaptive transport sub-period in which the incubation unit is rotated a second rotation distance in the first direction or in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the first rotation distance of each fixed transport sub-period is determined at least by a reference position and a predetermined rotation interval, the reference position for a first transport cycle is defined as an initial position of the incubation unit the reference position for a second transport cycle is defined as a stop position where the incubation unit stops after the rotation of the incubation unit for the fixed transport sub-period of the first transport cycle, wherein the second rotation distance during each self-adaptive transport sub-period is determined by a position of one of the plurality of reaction containers requiring a self-adaptive operation and a position of one of the plurality of executing stations for performing the self-adaptive operation, wherein the second rotation distance is a variable based upon a flexible incubation time of a reaction solution; 
 performing at least one of the regular operations during a stop duration of the fixed transport sub-period at a first executing station, wherein the incubation unit is stopped after the incubation unit rotates the first rotation distance; and 
 rotating the incubation unit to transport at least one reaction container requiring a self-adaptive operation to stop at a second executing station being configured to perform the self-adaptive operation in the at least one self-adaptive transport sub-period; and 
 performing the self-adaptive operation at the second executing station during a stop duration of the at least one self-adaptive transport sub-period after the incubation unit rotates the second rotation distance each executing station comprising at least one operation mechanism being configured to perform a plurality of corresponding analysis operations on the plurality of reaction containers. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performing time of each regular operation is not dependent on a predetermined incubation time duration of a reaction container, and the performing time of each self-adaptive operation is dependent on a predetermined incubation time duration of a reaction container. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein controlling the rotation of the incubation unit periodically in accordance with a predetermined transport cycle comprises generating an operation time sheet being configured to determine which regular operation is performable in each fixed transport sub-period of each transport cycle and which self-adaptive operation is performable in each self-adaptive transport sub-period of each transport cycle, wherein the operation time sheet is generated according to samples to be tested and test items. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein before controlling the incubation unit to rotate in the fixed transport sub-period of the present transport cycle, the method further comprises:
 calculating the first rotation distance of the fixed transport sub-period, wherein the first rotation distance of the fixed transport sub-period is a distance difference defined between the present position and the target position of the incubation unit along a rotation direction of the incubation unit, the target position is defined as a position after the rotation for the predetermined rotation interval from the initial position; and 
 finding out at least one of the regular operations to be performed in the fixed transport sub-period of the present transport cycle according to the operation time sheet, 
 wherein controlling the incubation unit to rotate in the fixed transport sub-period of the present transport cycle comprises controlling the incubation unit to stop after rotating for the first rotation distance and controlling the corresponding operation mechanism to perform the at least one of the regular operations after the incubation unit stops. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined rotation interval is given in a unit of a container holder and is an integer less than a total number of the container holders set on the incubation unit, and the integer cannot be exactly divided by the total number of the container holders. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 3 , wherein before controlling the incubation unit to rotate in the self-adaptive transport sub-period of the present transport cycle, the method further comprises:
 determining whether or not there is a self-adaptive operation to be performed in the self-adaptive transport sub-period of the present transport cycle according to the operation time sheet; 
 calculating the second rotation distance if there is a self-adaptive operation to be performed in the self-adaptive transport sub-period of the present transport cycle, wherein the second rotation distance is calculated as a distance difference between a present position of the reaction container to be operated with the determined self-adaptive operation and the position of the executing station for performing the determined self-adaptive operation, along the rotation direction of the incubation unit, wherein controlling the incubation unit to rotate in the self-adaptive transport sub-period of the present transport cycle comprises controlling the incubation unit to stop after rotating for the second rotation distance and controlling the corresponding operation mechanism to perform the determined self-adaptive operation when the incubation unit stops; and 
 controlling the incubation unit to remain stationary in the self-adaptive transport sub-period of the present transport cycle, if there is no self-adaptive operation to be performed in the self-adaptive transport sub-period of the present transport cycle. 
 
     
     
       7. The automatic analysis method of  claim 1 , wherein each transport cycle comprises two fixed transport sub-periods, the first rotation distances of these two fixed transport sub-periods are the same or are different. 
     
     
       8. An automatic analysis method of an automatic analysis device, the automatic analysis device comprising an incubation unit having a plurality of container holders for holding a plurality of reaction containers, the analysis method comprises:
 controlling the rotation of the incubation unit periodically in accordance with a preset transport cycle, wherein each transport cycle comprises at least one fixed transport sub-period in which the incubation unit is rotated a first rotation distance in a first direction, and at least one self-adaptive transport sub-period in which the incubation unit is rotated a second rotation distance, wherein the first rotation distance is a predetermined constant distance difference, and the second rotation distance in the first direction or in a second direction opposite to the first direction is determined by a present position of one of the plurality of reaction containers requiring a self-adaptive operation and a position of an executing station for performing the self-adaptive operation, wherein the second rotation distance is a variable based upon a flexible incubation time of a reaction solution; 
 performing at least one of the regular operations during a stop duration of the fixed transport sub-period, wherein the incubation unit is stopped after rotating for the first rotation distance; 
 controlling the incubation unit to transport at least one reaction container requiring a self-adaptive operation to and stop at the executing station being configured to perform the self-adaptive operation in the self-adaptive transport sub-period and controlling an operation mechanism of the executing station to perform the self-adaptive operation; and 
 controlling the incubation unit to rotate and then stop at the position where the incubation unit stops in the fixed transport sub-period of the present transport cycle, after the self-adaptive operation is performed in the self-adaptive transport sub-period of the present transport cycle. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first rotation distance is given in a unit of a container holder and is an integer less than a total number of the container holders set on the incubation unit, and the integer cannot be exactly divided by the total number of the container holders. 
     
     
       10. An automatic analysis device for analyzing a target component in a sample, comprising:
 an incubation unit which comprises a plurality of container holders for holding a plurality of reaction containers; 
 a plurality of executing stations set around the incubation unit, each executing station comprising at least one operation mechanism being configured to perform a plurality of corresponding analysis operations on the plurality of reaction containers, wherein the plurality of executing stations are respectively located at an intersection of a container holder and a movement track or a center line of the corresponding operation mechanism; 
 a control module being configured to:
 control the rotation of the incubation unit periodically in accordance with a preset transport cycle, wherein each transport cycle comprises at least one fixed transport sub-period in which the incubation unit is rotated a first rotation distance in a first direction, and at least one self-adaptive transport sub-period in which the incubation unit is rotated a second rotation distance in the first direction or in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the first rotation distance of each fixed transport sub-period is determined at least by a reference position and a predetermined rotation interval, the reference position for a first transport cycle is defined as an initial position of the incubation unit, the reference position for a second transport cycle is defined as a stop position where the incubation unit stops after rotating for the fixed transport sub-period of the previous transport cycle, wherein the second rotation distance during each self-adaptive transport sub-period is determined by a present position of one of the plurality of reaction containers requiring a self-adaptive operation and a position of an executing station for performing the self-adaptive operation, wherein the second rotation distance is a variable based upon a flexible incubation time of a reaction solution; 
 control a corresponding operation mechanism to perform at least one of the regular operations during a stop duration of the fixed transport sub-period, wherein the incubation unit is stopped after rotating for the first rotation distance; and 
 control the incubation unit to transport at least one reaction container requiring a self-adaptive operation to and stop at the executing station being configured to perform the self-adaptive operation in the self-adaptive transport sub-period and controlling an operation mechanism of the executing stations to perform the self-adaptive operation. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The automatic analysis device of  claim 10 , wherein the control module is further configured to:
 generate an operation time sheet being configured to determine which regular operation is performable in each fixed transport sub-period of each transport cycle and which self-adaptive operation is performable in each self-adaptive transport sub-period of each transport cycle, wherein the operation time sheet is generated according to samples to be tested and test items. 
 
     
     
       12. The automatic analysis device of  claim 11 , wherein the control module is further configured to:
 before controlling the incubation unit to rotate in the fixed transport sub-period of the present transport cycle, calculate the first rotation distance of the fixed transport sub-period, wherein the first rotation distance of the fixed transport sub-period is a distance difference defined between the present position and the target position of the incubation unit along a rotation direction of the incubation unit, the target position is defined as a position after the rotation for the predetermined rotation interval from the initial position; and 
 find out at least one of the regular operations to be performed in the fixed transport sub-period of the present transport cycle according to the operation time sheet, 
 wherein controlling the incubation unit to rotate in the fixed transport sub-period of the present transport cycle comprises controlling the incubation unit to stop after rotating for the first rotation distance and controlling the corresponding operation mechanism to perform the at least one of the regular operations after the incubation unit stops. 
 
     
     
       13. The automatic analysis device of  claim 10 , wherein the predetermined rotation interval is given in a unit of a container holder and is an integer less than a total number of the container holders set on the incubation unit, and the integer cannot be exactly divided by the total number of the container holders. 
     
     
       14. The automatic analysis device of  claim 11 , wherein the control module is further configured to:
 before controlling the incubation unit to rotate in the self-adaptive transport sub-period of the present transport cycle, determine whether or not there is a self-adaptive operation to be performed in the self-adaptive transport sub-period of the present transport cycle according to the operation time sheet; 
 calculate the second rotation distance if there is a self-adaptive operation to be performed in the self-adaptive transport sub-period of the present transport cycle, wherein the second rotation distance is calculated as a distance difference between a present position of the reaction container to be operated with the determined self-adaptive operation and the position of the executing station for performing the determined self-adaptive operation, along the rotation direction of the incubation unit, wherein controlling the incubation unit to rotate in the self-adaptive transport sub-period of the present transport cycle comprises controlling the incubation unit to stop after rotating for the second rotation distance and controlling the corresponding operation mechanism to perform the determined self-adaptive operation when the incubation unit stops; and 
 control the incubation unit to remain stationary in the self-adaptive transport sub-period of the present transport cycle, if there is no self-adaptive operation to be performed in the self-adaptive transport sub-period of the present transport cycle. 
 
     
     
       15. The automatic analysis device of  claim 10 , wherein the incubation unit comprises at least one ring, each ring comprises a plurality of container holders for holding reaction containers and is capable of being independently driven. 
     
     
       16. The automatic analysis device of  claim 10 , wherein the transport cycle comprises two fixed transport sub-periods, the first rotation distances of these two fixed transport sub-periods are the same or are different. 
     
     
       17. The automatic analysis device of  claim 10 , wherein the performing time of each regular operation is not dependent on a predetermined incubation time duration of a reaction container, and the performing time of each self-adaptive operation is dependent on a predetermined incubation time duration of a reaction container. 
     
     
       18. The automatic analysis device of  claim 10 , wherein the regular operations comprise a move-in operation of moving a reaction container into the incubation unit and a photometry operation of detecting a luminous intensity of the target component in the sample, and the self-adaptive operations comprise a move-out operation of moving a reaction container out of the incubation unit and a reagent injecting operation of adding a reagent a second time to the sample.